News – Page 42 – Ballard Eagleson Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3063

Day of Service

Thank you to the eight comrades — Wally, Russ, Joe K., Bob L., Harold, Mark, Joe F., and Aly (plus kids) — who came out for our post’s Day of Service May 21. We spruced up the landscaping behind the post, picked up litter around the block, collected Ballard Food Bank donations and passed out Buddy Poppies to passersby. It was a beautiful day for service!

Comrade Brunstad’s Puget Sound Honor Flight Recap

By Mike Brunstad

WOW! I had an awesome trip on the Puget Sound Honor Flight (PSHF) in late April 2022. The whole trip was amazing, from the time I arrived at SeaTac on April 23 to arriving back at SeaTac the night of April 25.

I learned the mission for the Puget Sound Honor Flight is simple: to honor American veterans by inviting veterans to Washington, D.C. for two days to view our nation’s memorials. The whole trip is FREE to the veteran. Each veteran is assisted by a Guardian. I meet my assistant Guardian for the first time at SeaTac. My Guardian did call me before the flight to introduce herself. You can have your own Guardian travel with you. The cost of having your own Guardian to travel with you is a $1,000 donation, which is tax deductible.

There were three WWII veterans, 11 Korean veterans, and 37 Vietnam veterans on my trip, plus Guardians for each veteran and Puget Sound Honor Flight staff and Board Members.

The first day (Saturday) was a travel day. I felt honored and truly unworthy from the time I arrived at SeaTac until we returned to SeaTac. The arrival at Baltimore was a huge surprise and an unbelievable experience. A memory I will not forget. I have to admit the whole mission put together by PSHF was outstanding.

Day 2 started with a very good breakfast at the hotel. Each veteran was given an Honor Flight T-Shirt (red). We boarded our buses at 8 a.m. for a full day in D.C. We visited the following memorials with a lot of time at each stop:

World War II Memorial
Lincoln Memorial
Korean Memorial
Vietnam Memorial (we had a boxed lunch before getting back on the bus)
FDR Memorial
Navy Memorial

We then returned to the hotel and had another banquet Sunday night.

Day 3 started just like Day 2, good breakfast at the hotel then we boarded our buses at 8 a.m. for a full day in D.C. We visited the following memorials:

Arlington National Cemetery
Changing of the Guard
Marine Corps Memorial
Air Force Memorial

We had a box lunch before getting back on the buses for our trip to the Baltimore Airport.

When we arrived back at SeaTac, it seemed like the whole airport knew that we had arrived HOME. It was just an AWESOME experience. After a few days I have been able to bring closure to a few outstanding items from my past. All I can say is THANK YOU to PSHF.

If you’re interested in signing up for the Puget Sound Honor Flight or would like to donate, go to pugetsoundhonorflight.org.

Comrade Brunstad (right) during his Honor Flight trip.

Commander’s Corner (June 2022)

THE END IS NEAR! But, so is the BEGINNING!

With the conclusion of the June Washington State VFW Convention in Spokane, my tenure as your post commander will end.

I could not be prouder of what our post was accomplished during these past two years as we slogged our way through the worst period of the Covid pandemic.

First and foremost we were able to keep our heads above water and avoid drowning in the Covid morass, thanks in large part to the collective efforts of the post leadership and membership alike.

Despite the limitations and restrictions that come with ensuring vaccination and masking requirements were met and maintained, we continued to “move the post forward.” The post business operation did not lose a step.

We continued with servicing the needs of veterans.
Our award winning newsletter editor produced quality editions — some of the best in the VFW — month after month.
We honored requests for our color and honor guard services.
We continued our commitment to the Ballard community by participating in parades, food bank drives, community cleanup efforts, etc.
We sponsored two new scout troops and were able to continue with our youth scholarship programs.
With all that said, our crowning achievement was earning the “All-American” title for the first time in the history of our post. This is a big deal within the VFW community because it is one of the most prestigious honors given by our VFW organization. It is based on outstanding achievement in membership growth, programs that benefit and assist veterans, and deep community involvement. The Title of All-American signals to everyone this is a post that is in tune with it’s membership, interacts with the local community, and is committed to veterans in need.

I could not be prouder and so should you!

So, as the State Convention ends later this month, it too ushers in the beginning of our new post command staff led by Commander Aly Teeter. It will be a great leadership team!

I want to thank each and every one of you for your commitment to excellence. It has truly been my honor to serve you.

– Commander Joe F.

Commander’s Corner (May 2022)

I will forgo one of my typical messages and give you the following instead:

First, as some of you know, my wife Laura and I just returned from a week in the Caribbean on a Fitzgerald Family Cruise. And you also may have heard that I tested positive for Covid upon my return. I did. But the good news is that Laura did not, and also that I have been asymptomatic. My doctor, and particularly the medical staff at Swedish who treat old goats like me who get Covid, attributes my having no Covid issues or even symptoms other than pollen allergies, to having been vaccinated and twice boosted to a point that I have built up some good immunity. Because of my age it was recommended that I receive the Monoclonal Antibodies IV. So I did that. I think I am seriously covered now. I have 7 days of quarantine which ends Sunday. So the Tuesday before our business meeting I will no longer be in quarantine, and no masking required – I will be done with all of it just in time for Thursday’s meeting.

The point of all this though, is full disclosure, and to let you all know that I am proof of how effective vaccinations and boosters can be to minimize the effects of Covid on an individual. This is why it is so important to be vaccinated. I turned 81 at this writing. I have a congestive heart condition, I have Afib, and two faulty heart valves, along with a host of other old age related issues! Although I try, it is impossible for me to workout like I used to not so very long ago. Given all that, contracting Covid could have been a very critical if not disastrous issue for me. But I have no worries!

On to post business… At this Thursday’s business meeting, we will be installing next year’s slate of officers. I hope that all of you can make it so that you can welcome the incoming leadership. You should all be very excited about who your next Commander will be, as well as the rest of the post command staff. Promises to be exceptional!

On Thursday our Post Auxiliary will be electing new leadership at the Post as well.

So, some big changes are coming. Please come and be a part of it!

Commander Joe Fitzgerald